Ah, March the month people expect you to be fit and have abs and be on that daily fitness grind 24/7 with nothing but healthy food and that rusty old treadmill you use once every month. Since the pandemic is slowly fading away, gyms have started opening once more to full capacity and work from home isn’t really much of an option nowadays since the economy is slowly opening its doors once more, but since most of us are still working from home just to play it safe, but wants to get back on track with their fitness journey just in time for that summer body, Here are simple yet effective workouts that can help you get back on track.
Before we start our exercise we would want to start with some basic stretches so we don’t accidentally injure ourselves, first off we have cow pose, followed up by knee to chest, cat-cow, leg swings, hip circles, arm circles, and lastly figure four stretch. (Do each of the stretches 2x for 10-20 seconds each)
Listed below are some bodyweight exercises for your top body and how to do them in your condo in Laguna, from the step by step, return to the starting position and other details you might need:
Push-ups
The push-up, yes, we all know this timeless and simple yet effective movement that can be performed almost anywhere and everywhere you go, in this case in your capacious condo in Laguna. For those of you who don’t know the chest is divided into two parts, the pectoralis major, also commonly known as the “pec” muscle, it is the largest and most often utilized muscle in the chest, second we have the pectoralis minor, the muscle beneath the pectoralis major. So, how do we target these muscle groups and fire them up to create that burning sensation, you see there are different types of pushups, but let me save you the time and show you the most effective pushup variations you could do to switch up that chest day routine of yours.
Incline push ups
Incline push ups
Stand facing a bench or in this case grab that sturdy coffee table you have in your condo in Laguna. Plant your hands on the edge of the bench/coffee table, slightly wider than shoulder width and perform the push-up movement, keeping the body straight but not too straight somewhat neutral. This will help ensure lower chest activation. Perform 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps depending whether you are an intermediate or a beginner, remember more isn’t always better. Quality over quantity.
Wide grip push ups
Wide grip push ups
Wide grip push-ups are performed the same way as regular push-ups, but with the slight change in arm placement and positioning, hence the name “Wide grip push-ups” was born. So, while performing this push up variation you should place your hands on the floor wider than shoulder width apart, with this you can place more stress on the chest by eliminating a big part of your triceps. If you find this to be easy or you don’t even break a sweat, try this alternative but only and only if you find the wide grip push ups easy, crucifix push-ups by placing your arms as wide as you can while maintaining a slight bend at the elbows to allow the pushing movement. Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps (only if you find the Wide grip push ups not challenging enough)
Decline push-ups
Decline push ups
Alright now it’s time to hit the upper chest fibers with this banger of a push up variation, this time, place your feet on a bench or that well-structured coffee table, while placing your hands firmly on the ground. Steadily lower yourself to ensure the quality of this push up variation so you can feel those chest fibers open up, then push back up with a controlled firm movement. This advanced push-up variation will help the development of your upper chest and can be performed in the spacious living room space. Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Regular push-ups
Regular push ups
Keep it simple, they say. Nothing beats this classic push-up variation, the regular push-up. Begin to lower your body, keeping that back neutral, until your chest touches the floor, then you push yourself back up with controlled form. This should be your warm up exercise, so Go for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps.